On September 1, 2025, the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations welcomed seven new interns from countries including Italy, Venezuela, France, Kenya and Poland. These are passionate and enthusiastic young professionals who will be working at the Mission over the coming year. To mark the beginning of the internship program, a solemn Mass was celebrated on September 5, concelebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Ettore Balestrero. Guided by their supervising attachés, the interns are actively participating in meetings of the Human Rights Council, the International Labour Organization (ILO), UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and other UN bodies.
We warmly welcome them and are delighted to have them with us.
Anaëlle Famy is an early-career married French lawyer, admitted to the Paris Bar. She holds master’s degrees from Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University and from HEC Paris business school. An 8-month volunteering mission in Colombia opened her eyes to her freedom to choose what she wanted to serve through her professional life. Common good, Peace, and the Poor came as answers. She decided to study for an additional year to specialize in International Human Rights Law at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, USA. There, she discovered the opportunity to work for the Holy See Mission at the UN in Geneva, and she found a great alignment with her desire to serve the world through the Church at the highest level. Seeing her life and work as a calling, she strives to answer it to the best of her ability every day.
Małgorzata Jaroszek grew up in Radom, Poland, in a family where Christian and patriotic values were deeply rooted from an early age. She has a younger sister. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism and social communication at Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw. From the beginning of her studies, she actively engaged in numerous Catholic non-governmental organizations, promoting history, culture, tradition, and Christian values within European institutions. She also completed an internship at the European Parliament, which gave her valuable insight into international relations.
Currently, she is pursuing a doctoral degree in communication and media studies at her Alma Mater, with research focused on issues of emigration. When the university offered an internship opportunity at the Mission, Małgorzata eagerly applied, driven by her desire to serve both the Church and society, while using her potential and talents to connect her two passions: media and diplomacy. She enjoys working in an international environment, which gives a unique opportunity to better understand the functioning of a diplomatic mission and the significant role of the Holy See on the global stage. “Every day of work in the Mission of the Holy See brings new challenges, meetings and reflections, that the universal values proclaimed by the Catholic Church, such as peace, dialogue and solidarity, have real significance in building a world based on respect for human dignity” - she emphasizes.
Miriam Venturo is 26 years old and holds a degree in law. She discovered the possibility of doing an internship at the Holy See Mission in Geneva during a university conference on artificial intelligence (AI). It was there that another student told her about this and other internships available with the Holy See.
She liked the idea of serving the Church and contributing, even in a small way, to the mission of the Church and the Pope. This was the main reason she applied.
As for Geneva, she chose to submit her application there mainly because of her interest in international law and foreign languages. The idea of meeting people from different countries, each with their own culture, intrigued her—and it still does. Miriam is always eager to broaden her horizons by meeting people from all around the world!
Pietro Vaghi is originally from Italy and earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in International Relations from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan.
He discovered the Internship Program through the Communion and Liberation movement, which he encountered during his university years. Drawn by the Mission’s commitment to bringing the voice of the Church into the international sphere, Pietro saw this opportunity as a natural continuation of both his academic interests and personal convictions.
“Representing the Holy See on the international stage is significant because it offers a moral and human-centered perspective to global discussions, especially in forums like the United Nations,” he explains. “I’m particularly excited to see how international cooperation is negotiated and developed in real time, and to experience from the inside how the Church contributes to promoting peace, justice, and human dignity.”
Although his time at the Mission was brief, Pietro greatly valued the spirit of mentorship and collaboration he encountered:
“Even in just one month, I’ve learned a great deal and lived through meaningful experiences. Each day was an opportunity for growth — through dialogue, shared work, and a real sense of community within the Mission.”
Agnese Bonanomi was born in Milan, Italy. She studied Languages for International Relations at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan and is a fellow sponsored by the Toniolo Institute. Agnese has just begun her internship with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See and will be staying for the upcoming months. She is particularly passionate about issues concerning migrants and refugees and is eager to understand how these are addressed at the international level. “Being at the UN means witnessing firsthand how global priorities take shape. I find it especially meaningful to see how the Holy See contributes a unique moral and human perspective to the discussions.”
Agnese has greatly appreciated the welcoming environment and the dedication of the Holy See Mission staff. “Even though I’ve only just started, I already feel that this is a place where I can learn something new every day, in an atmosphere that is both professional and fraternal.” She is looking forward to the months ahead and is excited to contribute and grow through this experience.
Ana Sofía Ramos is Venezuelan and has spent the last four years in Spain completing her Bachelor’s degree in International Relations at the University of Navarra. During her studies, she enriched her learning experience through contact with different cultures as she completed courses in the United States, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and France. Furthermore, she developed a deep interest in Public International Law and International Organizations. Both the international experiences she has lived, and the knowledge areas she enjoyed the most, encouraged her to participate in several Model United Nations. “Putting these passions and knowledge to the service of the Holy See is an opportunity I feel more than honored to have” she says.
She knew about the internship after a friend of hers, who had carried out an internship at the Holy See Mission in New York, encouraged her to apply. Multilateral diplomacy has always caught her attention, but “it was the coherence and consistency that guide the Holy See’s diplomatic activity that made this opportunity especially meaningful to me”.
She says that her time here, so far, has been deeply rewarding as she is experiencing firsthand what she had just learned in the classroom. “Each time I sit behind the placard of the Holy See, I am reminded that my daily work contributes to the mission of the Church”, she says.
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Mulu, OP is a Dominican priest from Kenya who specializes in multilateral diplomacy, peacebuilding, and faith-based engagement. With over six years of experience collaborating with the United Nations system, including UNEP and UN-Habitat, he currently serves as an Intern at the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva. Fr. Mulu has previously coordinated Justice and Peace initiatives across Africa, advancing interfaith dialogue, youth mentorship, and ethical governance within diverse communities. He holds a Master’s Degree in Peace Studies and International Relations from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi, and a Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology from the same university, alongside additional qualifications in philosophy and counselling psychology from other institutions. His time in Geneva has been deeply fulfilling and formative, enriching his priestly vocation through active engagement with the Human Rights Council, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, and multilateral collaboration within key international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Labor Organization (ILO), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). These experiences have profoundly shaped his service to the Universal Church, strengthened his understanding of Holy See diplomacy, and deepened his lifelong commitment to human rights, integral human development, and service to humanity. A faith-based diplomat and peacebuilder, Fr. Mulu brings together theological depth and practical diplomacy in the service of dignity, dialogue, and global solidarity.
An internship at the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the UN is a valuable professional experience, allowing us to learn about the principles of international law as well as the problems and challenges facing countries around the world at the Palais des Nations. It is also a personal lesson in responsibility, the diplomatic culture of dialogue, and encounters with people whose attitudes foster humility, the ability to stand up for one’s rights, openness, and sensitivity to others.
The Holy See often serves as a moral voice of conscience at the United Nations, reminding the international community of the need to seek the common good above national interests. This role carries not only political and diplomatic dimensions but also a pastoral one, highlighting the centrality of human dignity and the principles of natural law.
